Willie Colón Dies at 75, SACEM Signs UAE Landmark Agreement, and Isaac Hayes Estate Settles Trump Lawsuit
How The Music Business Works - Issue #50
February 26, 2026
Welcome back to How The Music Business Works.
This week, tensions around AI music tools intensify as industry leaders publicly call on the sector to distance itself from Suno, raising concerns over copyright, fraud, and the long-term impact on royalty pools. At the same time, collecting societies continue focusing on infrastructure, with PPL reporting measurable gains in matching accuracy through new tech partnerships, and SACEM expanding its global footprint through a landmark agreement in the UAE.
Together, these developments highlight a defining contrast in today’s music business: while some players push rapid AI-driven disruption, others are doubling down on rights management, data accuracy, and structured systems designed to strengthen creator compensation worldwide.
Here’s what you need to know.
Willie Colón, Trailblazing Salsa Musician, Dies at 75
Willie Colón, the pioneering American salsa musician, has died at 75. His family announced that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, though no cause of death was disclosed. Born and raised in the Bronx, Colón showed early musical promise, signing with Fania Records at just 15. He released his debut album El Malo at 17 and went on to become one of salsa’s defining figures, collaborating with artists including Celia Cruz and David Byrne. Over his career, he earned 10 Grammy nominations, received the Latin Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and was inducted into both the International Latin Music Hall of Fame and the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. Beyond music, Colón was an active advocate for Latino and immigrant communities, serving with organizations such as the Latino Commission on AIDS. Widely credited with helping shape modern salsa, he leaves behind a lasting cultural legacy.
Sacem Secures ‘Landmark’ Agreement With the Emirates Music Rights Association
Paris-Based Collecting society Sacem has signed a “landmark” representation agreement with the Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA), the first licensed collective management organization in the UAE. The deal establishes a formal framework for collecting and distributing royalties locally and internationally, marking the first time creators in the UAE will operate under a structured collective rights system. EMRA, licensed in 2024, forms part of the country’s Vision 2031 strategy to position the UAE as a global creative hub. Sacem, which represents major Arabic-language repertoires and collects in nearly 200 territories, said it also collaborated with IFPI and PPL to design a tailored system covering both authors’ and neighbouring rights. The agreement comes as MENA was the fastest-growing recorded music region in 2024, up 22.8% year over year. Sacem distributed €1.379 billion in royalties in 2024, up 12%, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s largest CMOs.
Isaac Hayes Estate Settles Litigation Over Trump’s Campaign Use of ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’
The estate of Isaac Hayes has reached a private settlement with Donald Trump after suing over the alleged unauthorized use of the 1966 hit Hold On, I’m Coming at campaign rallies. The estate claimed Trump personally selected the track and played it at least 133 times without authorization, and further alleged that the campaign recorded and distributed rally videos featuring the song despite repeated objections from Hayes’ family. The lawsuit, filed in 2024, initially sought $3 million in damages. A federal judge had allowed the case to move forward after attempts to dismiss it were rejected. However, the estate has now filed a voluntary dismissal in Georgia federal court, confirming the dispute was “mutually resolved.” While financial terms were not disclosed, the family said it was satisfied with the outcome and emphasized that the case helped spotlight the importance of respecting intellectual property rights and honoring the wishes of artists and their estates.
PPL Says ‘Salt Match’ Partnership is Boosting Auto-Match Rates
UK collecting society PPL says its partnership with rights-tech firm Salt is already improving royalty accuracy and efficiency. Since soft-launching Salt’s “Salt Match” tool in September 2025, PPL reports a 23% increase in its auto-match rates, helping it better connect music-usage data with recordings in its database. The upgrade is particularly significant as PPL now processes an average of 45,000 new recordings per week. The collaboration builds on PPL’s existing relationship with Salt’s sister company Stage, which worked with PPL, IFPI, and WIN to develop the Repertoire Data Exchange platform. Rather than relying on major technological overhauls, the initiative highlights how incremental improvements in matching systems can meaningfully enhance payout accuracy and distribution for rightsholders.
Just Say No to Suno. Open Letter Compares Suno’s Training to the Louvre Heist
Music industry leaders have signed an open letter urging the sector to “just say no” to Suno, criticizing the company’s AI music tools and training practices. Signatories include representatives from the Music Artist Coalition, the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, The Trichordist, ECR Music Group, and the Artist Rights Institute. The letter compares Suno’s alleged scraping of copyrighted works to a high-profile art heist, arguing that AI-generated tracks dilute royalty pools and undermine legitimate creators. The group also raises concerns about fraud, citing claims that a large share of fully AI-generated tracks on Deezer are fraudulent. Responding to comments by Suno’s Chief Music Officer Paul Sinclair, the letter argues that generative AI differs from past distribution technologies because it appropriates creative works rather than simply delivering them. It further questions the copyright eligibility of AI-generated outputs and warns artists that platforms like Suno may ultimately benefit the company more than creators.